Cikgufaisal's Blog

We have neither Summer nor WinterNeither Autumn nor Spring.We have instead the daysWhen the gold sun shines on the lush green canefields-Magnificently.The days when the rain beats like bullets on the roofsAnd there is no sound but the swish of water in the gulliesAnd trees struggling in the high Jamaica winds.Also there are the days when leaves fade from off guango treesAnd the reaped canefields lie bare and fallow to the sun.But best of all there are the days when the mango and the logwood blossomWhen the bushes are full of the sound of bees and the scent of honey,When the tall grass sways and shivers to the slightest breath of air,When the buttercups have paved the earth with yellow starsAnd beauty comes suddenly and the rains have gone.

I am not really in a mood of reviewing, especially this poem… have some thoughts bout this poem that I wanna share, maybe in few days time… ok? Thanks for visiting.

Okay, I know it’s been quite some time since I wrote the first part of the review. Truth is am not sure what to write really. Hahaha… let’s give it a try. Hurmmm, I think it’d be good to talk bout the message rite? The message in my opinion is very clear and apparent. Just like “If” by Kipling, this poem is similar in the sense that it’s trying to give you an advice, but the similarities stop there. The message here is actually an advice especially for young girls. “Don’t be fooled by appearance”, and “Looks can be deceiving” might be the suitable phrase here. What do you think?

Since we’re still with this poem, I’d like to share some part of the poem that I found really interesting. Take a look at this;

To her, those quiet eyesWere breathing desolate sighsImploring her to be niceAnd to render him paradise

In literal meaning, this is my version: She was hypnotized by the emptiness look in his eyes, because of that she feels obligated to be nice to him, exactly the effect that he intended. In being nice to him, obviously, she’ll do anything that he asked, in order to make him happy.

This poem brings out the concept of the power of the eyes and how, since ages and ages ago (this poem is written in 1968) up till today, Casanovas all around the world are still using the same old trick and women, all over the world still fall for it. Thus, I am really hoping that by teaching this poem to our students, we could teach them and prepare them to face the ugliness of the real world. However, based on my experience, it would be a lil bit difficult for them to digest and most of the time they will not see the sense in the advice until it’s too late. Regardless, let’s try our best, and make the lesson as interesting as it can be.Okay, that’s all for now. Thank you for reading.

Cikgu Faisal is currently teaching in the heart of Borneo; Tongod, a small district in a rural area in Sabah. Can be considered as a relatively new teacher, he is determined to better himself as an individual and more importantly as an English teacher.